Desire For The Phantom
by Sarmoti
Summary: There is a halloween party at P3 and Piper follows the wrong Phantom of the Opera. Costume confusion leads to confusion of the heart. Cole/Piper


DISCLAMIER: I do not own the Charmed characters. This story is for entertainment purposes only, unless you don't like Piper with anyone other than Leo. LOL.

SET: Season Four. Piper & Leo are married, Phoebe & Cole are married. Cole's not evil (just sexy)

P3 was all decked out for Halloween. Paige and Phoebe had spent most of the day hanging black and orange balloons everywhere. There were streamers hanging from the ceiling, and cut outs of various Halloween related items were hung on the walls. They had spread spider-web material over everything, and put in red and orange light bulbs. The effect was awesome, the club looked ready for the Halloween party.

Piper had spent all day baking, and she had everything set up on tables around the bar. There was pumpkin pie, apple cobbler, Halloween shaped cookies, and three different cakes. Piper loved when she had an opportunity to bake for a party, and what kind of party was better than a Halloween one?

She surveyed her club again. Everything looked ready to go. She was excited. Halloween was one of her favorite holidays, especially since discovering that her sisters and herself were witches.

Piper picked up her keys and locked the doors to the club, it was time to go home and pick Leo up and get her costume on. She wondered to herself as she left what Leo would be dressing up as.

The party was going hot, the only stipulation was that everyone come in costume which was why, at precisely six p.m., P3 filled with people dressed as Dracula, Harry Potter, Pirates, and such.

Phoebe's witch costume was a big hit, she had a long black dress on, and a old fashion witch hat. She had her makeup on heavy, making her look Goth. She had bought a wig, with longer black hair.

"What are you supposed to be?" Paige's boyfriend Shane asked Erica, the bartender.

"I'm a bartender." she said, Erica was wearing a short skirt and tank top, she didn't look dressed up at all. 

"Erica, the point of Halloween is to dress up as someone you're not." Paige commented as she adjusted her punk rocker pink wig.

"Hey, there's nothing better than being me. Why dress up as someone else when I can just be me?!" Erica said, smiling.

Leo was enjoying the food Piper had prepared, along with Darryl, who was dressed up as Batman, complete with the eye mask. Leo on the other hand, was wearing a Phantom of the Opera costume and looked very unhappy about it.

"I can't believe this was the last costume left! This stupid mask is so hot! I knew I should have gone to the store days ago, and gotten a good costume." Leo muttered to Darryl. Scratching at the mask that covered most of his face.

"At least your costume is manly and something women find sexy. My wife want's me to dress up as Batman, so she can be Batgirl, and then ten minutes before the party she goes and changes into a Devil costume, leaving me in the damn leather bat suit all night." Darryl grumbled.

"Well, this night wont be to bad, I at least get to spend some time with Piper. If she ever gets done playing hostess. She puts way to much energy into these parties, and then she doesn't have time to enjoy them." Leo said, looking across the room for his wife, unaware that Phoebe's husband, Cole, had just entered the party wearing the exact same Phantom of the Opera costume.

"Honey, what's with the Phantom costume?" Phoebe asked her husband, walking up to him and putting her hand on his shoulder.

"I left work late, and by the time I stopped at the costume shop, this was the only costume they had left. I have to say it is extremely uncomfortable, but at least it's not a gorilla suit or something worse." Cole said, leaning down to kiss Phoebe's cheek. "You look nice." he told her.

"I sure tried. How was your day at work?" Phoebe asked him. She looked up at him, and noticed he wasn't paying attention to her. "Cole?" she said again.

"Huh?." Cole muttered. He was focusing on something across the room, Phoebe followed his gaze.

Standing by the stage was her sister Piper. She looked stunning in a pink princess gown. It wasn't one of the wide ones, it clung to her figure nicely. She had on Gram's pearls, and a Mom's fancy earrings. Her make-up looked shimmery and iridescent, a golden tiara fixed above her brown curls

Phoebe looked up at Cole, feelings a little confused. Piper looked incredible dressed up as a Princess, but she wasn't what had caught Cole's eyes, was she? Phoebe must just be imagining it. She took Cole's hand, and led him to the bar.

Piper walked up to Leo and smiled at him. "Good party, huh?" she said, standing beside him. She didn't make a move to put her arms around him.

Piper felt guilty about it. It seemed like lately, she wasn't attracted to Leo anymore. Piper didn't know why. She figured it had something to do with all the stress they had been under. She just didn't feel like cuddling, kissing and making love anymore. She knew it wasn't that she didn't love Leo. It still made her feel bad, because she knew Leo could tell sometime was wrong.

"Yes, it is. And it's better now that I have a beautiful princess in my arms. You look incredible Piper." Leo whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her.

Piper fought off the urge to shake him off of her. It wasn't fair. This was her husband, she wanted to be attracted to him. She wished she could get over this rut she was in, and feel desire again. She wanted things back to normal.

"Thanks Leo. Your costume looks great too! I love the cape and mask." she said smiling up at him. "Look, Leo, I gotta go check the punch bowl, I'll be back in a few minutes." she said.

As Piper walked off towards the refreshments table, Leo sighed. Piper hadn't been herself. He knew she was under a lot of stress, but she didn't seem interested in being close to him, it scared him, because he didn't know if it was him, or just her stress levels.

Cole sighed as Phoebe sat beside him, running her hand up and down his arm. He fought the urge to get up and walk away, none of this was fair, she was his wife, and he didn't want her near him.

It hurt Cole to have her touch him though. She thought he didn't know, but he knew. He knew about the guys she met up with while he was at work Cole didn't think even her sisters knew, but he did. He had followed her one day, so sure that she was messing around.

There was one guy in particular. Her boss at her new job at the paper. Jason somebody. It hurt Cole like hell to see her in Jason's arms at the restaurant he had followed them to.

Phoebe came home and lied to him about having lunch with some new girlfriends. She must have thought Cole was stupid.

That was four months ago. He hasn't ever told her he knows. He can't. He's afraid she will kick him out of her life, and Cole doesn't want that, he doesn't want to be out of the Halliwell life, but not because of Phoebe.

Once Cole had discovered her fooling around, he had spent a lot of time thinking, and pouting. And then one day, he had been sitting in the living room staring off into space, debating how to tell Phoebe he was going to leave her, when Piper had come in to put away laundry.

She had noticed Cole looked off, and asked him if everything was ok. Cole wanted to let everything out about Phoebe's affairs, but he couldn't do that to Phoebe. He couldn't ruin her sister's opinions of her. So instead he told Piper he was fine, just a little bit bored.

Instead of leaving him to sit in the living room by himself some more, Piper asked him to come in the kitchen and help her make dinner.

In the two hours it had taken to make dinner that night, Cole had developed one hell of a crush on Piper. She laughed with him, she smiled at him. She was pure and good, not to mention sexy as hell.

He pushed away all thoughts of leaving Phoebe that night, he wanted to stay just to be around Piper, she had been like his medicine.

The party was going well. Piper was proud as she looked around. Everyone was having so much fun. She noticed Darryl and his wife were snacking at a table, Paige and Shane were making out in the back. Cole and Phoebe were sitting at the bar. Leo had sat down next to Darryl, and they were chatting.

She went into the office and shut the door. Piper needed a moment of quiet. Maybe all she needed was to surprise Leo. Maybe if she did something different, it would help her get her desire for her husband back again, and Leo would probably love it, she never did anything spontaneously.

Piper sat there thinking about what she could do, then she had this great idea. She could wait until Leo went into the private staff restroom, and go in after him, locking the door. It was the restroom for staff only, so noone could come in, and the lights were kept off, so it would be dark. Leo would be delighted, and if it worked, he could easily orb them home.

Piper fixed her hair and her make up in the mirror, and set out to watch her party and wait for her husband to go in the restroom.

Cole sighed as he sat next to his wife. He had to get away and breath for a moment. He stood up from his stool.

"Where you going baby?" Phoebe asked.

"The restroom, I'll be right back." Cole told her, adjusting his cape and mask as he walked away. He couldn't wait to get home and get out of this stupid costume.

Phoebe waited until Cole was half way across the room, and she pulled out her cell phone. She heard ringing on the other end, before the sexy voice answered. "Jason Dean."

Piper turned around from refilling the chips to catch a glimpse of Leo's cape going in the restroom. She smiled to herself as she adjusted her dress, and walked towards the room.

Cole entered the restroom. It was pitch black inside. He was fumbling for the light switch, when he heard the door open and close quickly, the lock catching.

Cole was about to open his mouth, and let whoever it was know that he was in here, when the smell of perfume hit his nose. There was a flurry of movement and he felt hands grip his shoulders, Phoebe? Did she follow him in here?

"Hey baby." he heard her say. That wasn't Phoebe's voice. That was Piper's voice. What was she doing?

She pulled him flush against her body, bringing her lips up to his, "Here's a preview of tonight Leo."

Her mouth sealed over his, instantly creating a fire in his blood. In his shock, Cole's mouth had been open just enough for her to take quick possession of it. Her tongue ran softly over his, massaging lightly as her arms locked around his head, drawing him as close to her as possible. Cole let out a muted gasp, which fell into a rumbling groan as she devoured him hungrily.

At first Cole had planned to push her away gently and tell her who he really was but once she got started...he realized he couldn't stop her. He wanted her with every bit of his being. He had been dreaming of her every night, and now here she was in his arms. Piper let out a sound of delight at his retaliation and threaded her fingers through his hair. It was funny, Leo sure did seem a taller. It must be the costume boots. His hair seemed shorter too. He must have stopped and got a hair cut before the party. Piper had planned to merely tease him but once he had begun to kiss her back she didn't want to stop! It was amazing-sparks were shooting up her spine. Leo had never kissed her like this before, and it was bringing back all the desire she had been missing.

She heard herself moaning, her hips pushing against his to feel a nice warm pressure there.

Cole's fingers found her dress and pushed it up slightly, just enough so she could wrap her legs around his waist. Piper did so without a second thought and for a moment the two lost their balance, collapsing against a wall in the restroom.

Cole had her pinned up against the wall, her legs wrapped around him. He kept thinking he must be dreaming. He knew it was wrong, she thought he was her husband. She was going to blow him up when she found out it was him, but he couldn't stop.

Cole's hands twisted in Piper's hair as he titled his head to the side, deepening their kiss.

Piper knew she was making all kinds of noise but she didn't care, everything about this moment with Leo was better than it ever had been before, he even tasted better, she couldn't get enough!

"Oh god.. Leo..." she breathed.

Leo?! Cole's mind returned at those words. He drew away, hearing her soft mewling pleas. That she had said Leo's name cut a knife straight through him , he forced himself to stop and lowered her to the floor. Their panting was almost deafening but Cole tried his best to speak, "Sorry to disappoint you, Piper. But its not Leo." he said, waiting for her to explode.

Piper's eyes widened and she quickly found the light switch Cole had been fumbling for earlier. She clicked it on to see a heavily disheveled Cole, his sexy blue eyes sparkling, she knew her own tiara was tipped to the side and her lipstick slightly smeared, "COLE?!"

"Cole, I'm so sorry…." she choked out. Cole was the one who had stirred all these emotions and all this desire? No wonder it felt so different, so much better. It was Cole.

"I thought you were Phoebe, trying to surprise me." he lied, hoping she would remember speaking when she first came in the restroom.

"No Cole, I'm sorry, I thought you were Leo, I was trying to surprise him." she said, embarrassed. God, Cole Turner. He had turned her on, made her quiver. Piper was ashamed, because she wanted nothing more than to turn the lights back off and pick up where they left off. She hadn't felt like this in a long time.

"It's okay Piper. We both messed up. Let's just try to forget about this. I won't bring this up if you don't." he said, trying to stop his pounding heart.

"Okay, deal. It stays between us, never to be brought up again." she said. Piper didn't want to leave the room though. She wanted to be here with him, not out there with Leo.

"Okay, well, I gotta go find Pheobe." he said, opening the door. He stopped and looked at her. "Are you okay?" he asked her softly.

"Yes, sure, I'm fine. Embarrassed, you know." she said, trying not to look so upset. She wanted him. She could never have him, he was happily married and so was she, but she wanted him.

After Cole walked away, she whispered "Thank you." Cole had given her something those few moments in the restroom, that she had been missing for way to long. She may not feel it again either, but at least she had it for a moment.

She made her way back to Leo, who was smiling. She felt her stomach turn as she stepped into his waiting arms.

Piper had set out to find her missing passion and she had, only it was with the wrong man, a man she couldn't have. She sighed as she leaned into Leo's embrace.

"Can we go home?" she said softly, feeling tired.

Leo took her outside, where he orbed them home and to into the bedroom. As he removed his costume, he watched his wife walk around the room in a zombie state. She must be tired, he thought.

Leo walked up to her and kissed her, slowly raising his hands up and unzipping her dress. As he carried her to the bed and fell upon her, Piper closed her eyes, trying to picture Cole's eyes, trying to remember the feel of his kiss. As her memory drifted back to the passion earlier, she moaned with the memory.

Leo heard Piper moan, and realized she was responding to him in away she hadn't in awhile. He smiled as he entered her, and made love to his wife.

Cole sat back down next to Phoebe. He watched Leo lead Piper outside. He knew they were going to go home and make love. Piper had been planning on it, since she tried to jump Leo here.

The jealousy raised hot in the back of his throat. He would only have that one taste of the sweet princess that she was.

Instead he was left with Phoebe, who had her many affairs. He knew she had been talking to one when he walked back up, because she had slammed her cell phone closed fast when he had walked up to the bar.

"Cole, I'm going to go out with Stacy from work after the party. She's on her way to pick me up, if it's okay, I'll just meet you at the manor later." Phoebe said.

"Sure, have a good time." Cole kissed her cheek, not really caring what lie she fed him. He got up and left the club, walking down the street a bit before shimmering to the manor.

Cole paused at Piper and Leo's door. What were they doing in there now? Was she finishing what they had started? Cole sighed, he would have to live on that one moment with her, until he could get the courage to move on with his life, and leave Piper behind.

FIN

This story was inspired by a couple things.

(1) My un-dying love of Cole & Piper - I love Leo, but I love Cole & Piper together.

(2) The story Deadly Mistletoe by Kitka, which you can find on this site. I loved the whole idea of a one time encounter between Cole & Piper

(3) A story called Costume Confusion, a wrestling fic I found on one of my sister's favorite sites. I don't watch wrestling, and I had no idea who the people were, but I liked the idea for a story about a couple getting mixed up by the costumes they were in.

I hope you guys enjoy this story, please review!


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